This invention relates generally to devices for relieving male impotence and in particular, for maintaining engorgement of the penis.
It is well known from medical and popular literature that impotence of the human male is a common occurrence, where, for various reasons, it is difficult to attain or maintain an erection of the penis.
Although impotence can occur at any age, it is more commonly found in older males.
For the normal healthy male, blood flows into the penis through the profunda and dorsal arteries. Blood circulates through the penis and leaves by way of the deep dorsal and subcutaneous veins.
The deep dorsal vein lies subfascially in the midline of the penis between the dorsal arteries passing out of the base of the penis through the arcuate pubic and transverse perineal ligaments where it divides into left and right veins to join the prostatic plexus.
The subcutaneous veins collect blood subcutaneously from the penis and conduct it to the external pudendal vein.
The erection process involves, basically, the engorgement of the venous sinuses of the corpus cavernosa with blood from the profunda arteries and the engorgement of the venous sinuses of the corpus spongeosum with blood from the dorsal arteries.
The erection is maintained by restriction of the flow of blood out of the penis through the subcutaneous dorsal vein and the deep dorsal vein.
The point along the veins where flow is naturally restricted lies below the base of the penis.
All of the devices of the prior art in one way or another attempted to restrict the flow of blood out of the penis by applying radial pressure to the shaft of the penis either in the form of a tourniquet about the penis or pressure devices that apply pressure directly to various areas radially proximate the base of the penis.
One device utilized a central elastic ring having elastic loops attached to opposite sides of the ring. The loops were of sufficient size to insert the fingers on opposite hands into the loops whereupon, when the hands are spread away from each other, the elastic ring was enlarged for being set on the root of a penis. When released, the ring acted as a check valve to enable blood to be massaged into the penis and to prevent its outflow to thereby maintain engorgement of the penis.
A different device utilized a resilient band having a plurality of radially extending projections on the inner surface thereof. When wrapped tightly around the penis near its base, these radial inward projections were effective to restrict the flow of blood from the penis to maintain engorgement thereof.
A further device of the prior art utilized an annular sleeve fabricated from an elastic material. The sleeve was adapted to receive and snugly engage the base of the male organ with a compressive fit. The base of the sleeve was adapted to apply pressure to the subcutaneous veins of the male organ in order to restrict the flow of blood therefrom. The sole feature of the device was to apply radial pressure to the penis to restrict the flow of blood.
Still another device of the prior art utilized an elastic tubular element which fitted around the base of the penis. The bore of the tubular element had a diameter corresponding to the mean diameter of the penis in a non-engorged state. A radial slit was provided in the tubular element. An elastic ring was placed around the outside of the tubular element whereby, as engorgement occurs, the tubular element was allowed to expand, however, applying radial pressure to the penis to restrict the flow of blood as determined by the elasticity of the elastic ring.
Still a further device of the prior art utilized a highly stretchable rubber tube. The tube acted in the manner of a tourniquet in which a bight was maintained in the stretchable tube by passing the tube through apertures in a connecting tube stretch located on the opposite side of tube and spaced lengthwise of the tube.
All of these devices of the prior art presented certain dangers in restricting the flow of blood to and from the tissues of the penis if left too long in place. In some cases, the use of the particular device would not be without pain and discomfort.